[SCCC] N7DA SS CW

[Drew Arnett]

claimed 24,522
201 QSOs
61 mults
mults missed: AB  AK  ENY IA  MAR MB  ME  MS NH  NL  NLI ORG PR  QC  SK  SNJ VI
                     WI  WPA WTX WV

Band   160   80   40   20   15   10
QSO's    0    4  101   95    4    0

Operated from home with elevated noise floor due to unresolved noise
issue.  (15m severely
impacted.)  Mountain blocks horizon at 60 degrees and a short, ~ 24',
push up mast was used.
Horizontal telescoping whip dipole for 20 and 15m.  40 m inverted V
used on 40 and 80.  Rig:
KX3 and (new) KXPA100.  Finally running full barefoot!  :-)  RX did
great with the bands.

I had a blast during the 10 GHz contest running a challenging rig with
low EIRP and poor EIS.
Even though that was much less that newcomers are often advised to
run, lots of QSOs and
fun were had.  Same thing with SS this year.  It was nothing compared
to running decent
antennas from a great mountaintop location like I did with the gang
during FD and CQP.  QSO
and mult total weren't outstanding, but I really like SS.  I missed SS
the last few years, so was
funny how rusty and intimidating the long exchange is at first until I
got warmed up.  Then it was
no big deal at all.  (I suppose operating CW other than in contests
would help the copy, though.)

Heard a few of the mults I missed (MB, PR, AK), but wasn't pushing for
score.  S&P swept the
band either for Qs or at other times to pick up some mults.  Did a lot
of running.  Rate wasn't
great, but got to 30 for short bursts often during better propagation
and at one time pushed it to
60.  (Rate Fun-o-Meter scale:  30 falling asleep, 60 getting
interesting, 120 exciting, 180 very
exciting.)

Home QTH hurdles have been:  EIRP, noise floor, horizon, and antennas.
EIRP is solved.
Noise floor I will address (with the neighbor's solar system).  I can
wring some more out of the small lot antennas.  Horizon is the main
challenge, so home QTH will be for casual contest play
only.  Anything serious, I will go someplace else.  See the Rate
Fun-o-Meter scale above.  :-)

SS was a blast.  I'm looking forward to CQ WW.  Other than one of the
sprint formats with QSY
rule, I think that's the only flavor of contest I haven't tried, yet.

Best regards,
Drew Arnett
n7da